After Taiwan, staff at Hong Kong’s Apple Daily also urged to leave and become freelancers

Following the lead of its Taiwan office, newspaper Apple Daily has announced arrangements to dismiss employees and rehire them as freelancers in Hong Kong, says its local trade union.

The Next Media Trade Union said in a Thursday statement that staff from Apple Daily’s supplement, entertainment, graphics, sport and finance sections would be affected. Staff contracting arrangements have also been planned for the weekly Next Magazine.

Next Media Headquarters. File photo: Apple Daily.

Earlier this month, parent company Next Digital announced losses of almost HK$394 million for the financial year ending in March. The loss is HK$70 million more than the loss in the preceding year, as advertising income declines.

Contract companies and freelancers

According to the Next Media Trade Union, several departments or teams from Apple Daily have been asked to establish separate companies. The newspaper would then subcontract production work to them.

It added that some employees had been asked to leave at the end of June. They would then be rehired as freelancers beginning on August 1, under contracts lasting from six months to one year.

“We understand that the media industry is undergoing massive transformations and the group is facing pressures on costs,” said the union. “However, subcontracting is not the solution to the problem, because labour protection and news quality will take a big hit.”

The union said it would hold a meeting with management on Friday, and urged employees not to accept any contracting arrangements beforehand.

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